Nolan Wells' family has 'respectful' meeting with DA
Nolan Wells' mother, Christine Wonsley, met with the local district attorney in Mississippi on Wednesday for the first time since her 18-year-old son's body was recovered.
Once the Jackson County Sheriff's Department investigation into Wells' death is complete, the Jackson County DA's office said it will present the case to a grand jury. The DA's office said convening a grand jury does not mean there is any criminality and is standard procedure for most unnatural or suspicious deaths in the county.
Family attorney Ben Crump confirmed that, saying during the family's "respectful meeting" on Wednesday with DA Angel Myers McIlrath, the DA said "she will turn this case over to [the grand jury] once they have collected all the information and finished their investigation."
As the family conducts an independent investigation, Crump said the family and the DA agreed to "have a mutual inspection" of Wells' phone, "with our experts and their experts."
According to Crump, Wells' friends took the teen's phone with them when they left Horn Island. Crump said when Wells' family got his phone back, messages had been deleted.
Authorities said they believe the college football player drowned on Horn Island after visiting the remote location with friends on July 4. According to authorities, it appears Wells stayed behind on the island after his friends left. Authorities noted that they don't suspect foul play, but the sheriff’s office stressed that investigators are "working diligently to determine exactly what occurred."
Wells' parents "feel strongly that he would not have just stayed behind, wouldn't have left his cell phone," Crump said Wednesday.
"We continue to be steadfast in trying to get to the truth of why Nolan Wells is dead," the attorney said.
Wells' body has been sent to Washington, D.C., for an independent autopsy, Crump noted.
The Congressional Black Caucus is amplifying the family's calls for an independent investigation, saying in a statement Wednesday, "Too many questions remain unanswered. The Wells family, the Mississippi community, and the American people deserve a full, transparent, independent, and timely investigation."
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter told ABC News on Monday that the public can have confidence in the ongoing probe, even as the unanswered questions about Wells' death have fueled speculation and amped up the pressure to get answers.
Every shred of evidence offered by the public helps and could even lead to blowing the case wide open, Ledbetter noted.
"Even if you may think that it might be insignificant. Every little bit helps, and that may be a bigger contribution than you think to this case," Ledbetter said.
"Nolan Wells' family deserves a thorough and factual investigation, and that's exactly what they're going to get," Ledbetter said -- adding they want to get it done right, not only fast. "I think it is important that we do not put ourselves on a timetable and we do not rush ourselves, but I also think it is important to be diligent in gathering all of the facts."
Crump added on Wednesday that the independent investigators are "getting about 50 calls a day to 100 calls a day from people who were there on Horn Island, people who are familiar with individuals that were there."
The very thing that makes Horn Island such an idyllic spot to hang out for the day is what makes the case tricky for investigators, as ABC News has reported: the rustic beauty also means spotty cell service and no surveillance cameras, making for a perfect storm for a complex investigation.
Wells' funeral is set for Monday.
